That Which is Lost
by FlamingFlyingFoxOfDoom
Summary: Edward decides the best way to return to his own world is to study rocketry, where he meets his brother's equal, Alphons Hedrich. Alphons sees bits of his own story in Edward, the same face of someone he missed... 2003 ANIME, Before CoS, After actual series. One-shot, I do not Own FMA.


Edward sighed as he walked up to the door of the impressive stone manor. Was this really the right thing for him to do? The only way for him to find a way back home? He swallowed down his doubts and knocked on the large wooden gate.

A young man opened the door. They both seemed to be paralyzed before the blue-eyed boy shook out his head.

"Hello, have you come to study rocketry?" he asked, his voice shaking somewhat.

Edward choked at first, startled at how much this kid looked like Alphonse. He swallowed and nodded. It couldn't possibly be Alphonse. Alphonse is most likely dead…

"Yeah." Ed replied.

"Well, come in then." The boy said "Teacher's out right now, so you might as well wait for him."

Ed nodded and followed the look-alike of his brother inside. The stone floors were covered in plush red carpet, tapestries and portraits covered the walls.

"Oh, I didn't catch your name." the kid said, turning back.

"My name's Edward." Ed nodded. Was it just him or did the boy looked shocked? "Edward Elric." The Alphonse-look-alike sighed.

"Of course not…" He muttered. "He died…"

"…Excuse me?" Ed blinked. The boy jerked up and grinned, rubbing the back of his head.

"N-nothing. My name is Alphons Heidrich." Alphons introduced. "So…Why do you want to study rocketry?"

Ed had figured someone would ask him that. He casually shrugged.

"I'm curious." He said "How about you, Alphons?" He winced inwardly. Even his name was similar.

"For the same reason you are, I guess…" he sighed.

The two awkwardly stood there for several minutes before Alphons tried to bring up a conversation.

"So…where are you from?" Alphons asked.

"…Well, I was in London before this." Ed answered "How about you?"

"Originally, I was from London too." He sighed "My parents got into a fight and-…never mind."

"And-?" Ed prompted "What?"

"…My mother took me and left for Germany." Alphons sighed. "My father stayed in London."

"Oh." Ed said, turning away. A longer awkward silence occurred, both boys avoiding each other's gazes.

"So…Um, how about your family?" Alphons asked timidly.

Ed shrugged "My mother died when I was small, my dad left, and I don't know what happened to my little brother." Alphons blinked his blue eyes, the blue flickering with a dim light before going numb again.

The door opened and slammed, echoing through the dim corridors. Alphons sighed and smiled at Ed.

"That would be teacher…" he said "I need to warn you… He's…Bizarre."

"…Okay?" Ed blinked. He shrugged again and followed Alphons to where a man stood with his hat tilted, he was reading a newspaper with a serious expression on his face.

"Teacher, this is Edward Elric, he wants to study rocketry-" Alphons started.

The man glared at him.

"Well then, is this true?" he said.

"Yes." Ed said. "And I won't take no for an answer-"

"OKAY THEN!" he chirped "Then you shall study with Alphons! And now you refer to me as 'Teacher', got it?"

Ed was stunned for a moment. Then again, this wasn't the only person he knew that acted like this…

"Okay then…Teacher." Such a difference between these two teachers…One who would kick his ass every other hour and one who will go from serious to….This.

'Teacher' ruffled Ed's hair and laughed.

"So how old are you, boy? Thirteen? Twelve?" he asked. Ed twitched and swatted his hand away.

"I'M SIXTEEN YOU CRAZY OLD COOT!" Ed snapped.

"Woah." Teacher laughed "Temper, temper. Well, we start tomorrow. See you back here."

"Wait-what?" Ed blinked "Hey, what's your actual name-?" This didn't exactly sound like the guy he heard about in London. He was much younger than expected…

"Oh, you were expecting the other guy?" he snorted "He went on a trip and left me to do all the teaching. Hooray for me." He smirked "Alphons?"

" 'His name is only revealed to those who study hard and learn well'." Alphons recited. He nodded "Goodbye, Teacher."

"See you boys on the morrow!" Teacher waved.

"Um…" Ed mumbled "I kind of don't have a place to stay…"

"Well, not here is for sure." Teacher laughed, his reddish bangs falling over his face.

I wouldn't even want to stay with this crazy old man… Ed groaned inwardly.

"You can stay with me, if you want to Edward." Alphons offered.

"…Thanks Alphons." Ed smiled. The two boys walked down the path to the manor, the sun starting to set beyond the horizon.

When they reached a small apartment, Alphons gave Ed a short tour. After Ed settled in his new room and placed his belonging sloppily on the bed, he looked at Alphons in confusion.

"What is it, Edward?" he blinked.

"Why did you offer me a place here so quickly?" Ed asked.

Alphons smiled sadly.

"…To be completely honest, you remind me a lot of my older brother." He said "It's probably coincidence, but you and him had the same sounding name."

"Had?" Ed blinked.

"…He's dead." Alphons murmured "There apparently was a fire in London, and my brother got caught in the debris of a crashed blimp."

Ed turned away and bit his lip. That boy's full name was Eduard Heidrich… He remembered it too clearly. The fire, the pain, the burns. Then erupting out of darkness to fight his half-brother and was killed.

He winced. So…That boy whose body was in…Was this Alphons's brother….

"Well, good night Edward." Alphons smiled "See you in the morning."

"Good night Alphons." He said "And enough with the formality, you can just call me Ed."

"All right…Ed." He said. With that he left Edward in his room. He clenched his trembling hands into fists as he lay down to sleep.

"…I'm sorry." He mumbled and he drifted off into slumber.


End file.
